Watch: Official Japanese Trailer for Gus Van Sant's 'The Sea of Trees'

"Things are not what they seem here. This place is what you call purgatory." The first official Japanese trailer for the new Gus Van Sant film, The Sea of Trees, has debuted online and it's in English so it's easy to watch. The film stars Matthew McConaughey as a suicidal man who goes to the mysterious Aokigahara Forest near Mt. Fuji in Japan, the same forest seen in that horror movie The Forest. There he meets a lost Japanese man and they connect while attempting to find their way out. Naomi Watts and Katie Aselton also star. This first premiered at Cannes and got some terrible reviews, but I'm still intrigued by this trailer (way more than the horror) and I want to check it out sooner than later. This is more of just a quick tease.

Here's the first official Japanese trailer for Gus Van Sant's The Sea of Trees, found via The Film Stage:

A suicidal American (McConaughey) befriends a Japanese man (Watanabe) lost in a forest near Mt. Fuji and the two search for a way out.The Sea of Trees is directed by veteran American filmmaker Gus Van Sant, of Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, Good Will Hunting, Psycho, Elephant, Finding Forrester, Paranoid Park, Milk, Restless and Promised Land previously. The screenplay is written by Chris Sparling, of Buried, ATM and The Atticus Institute previously. This first premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last year, and still doesn't have any US release date yet. Opening in Japan in April. Thoughts so far?

Always prepared to see Wantanabe in a film. This looks like it at the very least be a visually powerful film.

grimjob

One of my favorite actors.

Sean Taylor

Mmmm...lovely...

Bo

Love Naomi Watts; she knocked me out in 21 Grams. Unfortunately, or not, you couldn't get me within a country mile of anything Matthew Mc is involved in and I've not liked any, in fact hated most, of Gus Van Sant's films; well, maybe I did like To Die For, just a little. So this one's isn't for me...maybe on cable in a year or two.

Aaron

So since you hate Gus Vant Sant films does that mean you hate Good Will Hunting? I'm sorry, but if you hate that, then you don't know good cinema when you see it. Also, early McConaughey I'll give you is borderline un-watchable, but lately he has made excellent career choices, and has even won an Oscar.

Bo

Thanks for your reply, Aaron. However, I have to disagree with both your opinion regarding Good Will Hunting and your rather silly assessment that if I didn't like that movie I don't know good cinema when I see it. That's only your opinion, Aaron, and it's not a very sophisticated one at that...in that you seem to think your opinion(s) rise above that of others...who just might be a little more perceptive, intelligent, mature and sophisticated than yourself. That is possible, you know.
I hated, hated, Good Will Hunting! I found it to be sophomoric, maudlin, sentimental and extremely manipulative at a very, very low level. I stand strongly with that perception of the movie.
As far as my knowing or not knowing good cinema when I see it I shall take the time to share some of my favorite films. Those would include Lawrence of Arabia, The Lion in Winter, everything Kubrick made, The Hustler, Runaway Train with Jon Voight, Last Tango In Paris, On The Waterfront, Touch of Evil by Orson Welles, Days of Heaven, Paul Newman's Hombre, Brando's Burn, Robert Altman's McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Warren Beatty's Reds...I could go on and on, but why bother? Good Will Hunting wouldn't make a pimple on the butt of these films in comparison.
If you are intelligent and perceptive enough you will be able to ascertain my abilities to recognize good cinema when I see it from this list. If not, we are operating on completely different levels of intelligence and aesthetic awareness...which certainly seems to be the case. Take care and be careful with your assumptions based on just your opinions, Aaron. Peace.

Aaron

Ooooo big words, you're not scaring me with all those big words you looked up before you wrote this reply. You sound so pretentious, who uses the word maudlin? A pretentious dude, that's who. Throughout your long-winded and overstuffed response you were the only one who was acting conceited or like your opinion was higher than others, and it's ironic because that's exactly what you thought I was doing that ignited this overlong speech you felt you had to give me. You were very condescending and everytime you said "thanks for the reply" it was an extremely back-handed thing to say that only came off as smug; in fact, this whole reply came off as very smug.
Also, trying way to hard to paint a picture of yourself as a film historian, seeing as how Reds was the most recent film you listed and that was in 1981 LOL take it down a notch, Bo, You come across as an old and out-of-touch film lover who's very cynical and hates everything post 1990, and if that's true, then maybe we are operating on different levels of "aesthetic" awareness lol.
Oh, and Bo, thanks for the reply.

Bo

Wow, Aaron. It's probably not worth the effort to even engage with you any further as I've not read such rude, disrespectful, and just plain ignorant expressions such as yours even on the internet. You come across as angry, bitter, unaware and not even intelligent enough to realize how lacking in intelligence you are. Gotta be a rough way to go through life, but they have always said ignorance is bliss, but I've never believed that and your fear, pain and rudeness is a clear indication that ignorace is no picnic. . Also you are not bright enough to know that you are conversing with a man much older and wiser than yourself and who knows more about film than you ever will; who has been involved in the making of films that are considered some of the best ever made. This complete lack of being able to recognize this really is a sad thing to behold. I feel for your obvious pain and anguish as such disrespect and need to judge and label someone who is your superior in every way clearly indicates you will not amount to much in your life and your ignorance and bitterness will obstruct your path and lead you to self-destruction. I wonder what you even plan and what kind of goals you have or if you possess the courage to even try to accomplish half of what I have in both life and in the film business. I waste a lot of time with young guys like you, but some, not many, are able to wake up and hear what I have to say. I fear you are not one of them. I could care less what you think and what you express about anything, Aaron, let along about me. Your level of communicating and existing is of such a low level of consciousness I find it difficult to even bother with. Wake up, man! Forget about me. You made a mistake in confronting me about if in not liking a stupid, silly, unintelligent movie like Good Will Hunting then I must not be able to recognize good cinema was and remains just a dumb thing to say...and my response to you had the effect of a breeze flying thru your hair and over your head to such a degree that you then reveal just how you don't even have the guts to admit that you were mistaken and out of line. Not my kind of man, Aaron. You're just an ignorant punk who wouldn't be able to travel in the company of men such as myself and the men I've known and hung out with for many, many years. Wake up, man. Leave me alone. Go ahead and reply and get the last word in but I won't even read it and just hit the delete button instead. I does sadden me to run across young guys like you who are totally 'missing the mark' and lack the courage and guts to look at themselves with a degree of self-awareness. No guts. No courage. A lack of respect for those that have traveled before you and have wisdom which you could learn from. As Kurtz said...the horror....
the horror....

Aaron

LOLOLOLOL wow man I am busting a gut. I didn't realize I was dealing a man with an alarmingly high level of insecurity. Yet another extremely long-winded rant that doesn't help your case at all lol. Yes, go ahead, keep on proving how "superior" and "wise" you are by ranting in the comment section on a website and taking personal shots at a person you know nothing about. That's such a "wise" and "superior" thing for you to do lol. Think what you want. Your head is so far up your own ass you won't allow yourself to think anything else.
Here's what happened: you got excessively offended by my simple opinion, which prompted a condescending and immature ran your part. I simply pointed out your ill-advised and smug rant, which prompted an even MORE smug and childish rant that even got personal on your part LOL. I can't realltake anythingou say seriously, as at this point I just feel bad for you.